An  appeal  to  the  Christian 
public  on  the  evil  and 
impolicy  of  the  Church 
engaging  in  merchandise 


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OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 

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AN 


APPEAL  TO  THE  CHRISTIAN  PUBLIC, 


EVIL  AND  IMPOLICY 


CHUM  ENGAGIl  i  1 


SETTING  FORTH  THE  WRONG  DONE 


BOOKSELLERS, 


EXTRAYAGATS^CE,  INUTILITY, 


EVIL-WORKING, 


CHARITY  PUBLICATION  SOCIETIES. 


rniL  ADELPiii  A : 
KING  6c  BAKU),  PKINTERS,  Xo.  9  GEOllGE  STIIKET. 
1S49. 


LABOLR    IS    THE    FRUIT    OF    A    SPOILED   EDEX,    FORBIDDEN'    STILL 
.      TO    THE    TOUCH    OR    TASTE    OF    CHARITY. 


TO  THE  CHRISTIAN  PUBLIC. 


I  HAVE  written  the  following  pages  with  a  deep  conviction  of  the 
truth  of  the  principles  which  I  have  stated,  as  applying  to  the  subject. 
I  have  never  done  any  thing  for  which  I  am  more  willing  to  be  solely 
responsible ;  but,  having  commenced  without  my  name,  I  have 
thought  it  most  suitable  to  the  modesty  I  ought  to  observe,  to  let  it 
still  appear  in  that  form. 

To  ministers  of  the  Gospel  of  every  name,  I  would  make  an  ear- 
nest appeal.  You  hold  an  oflice  greatly  and  deservedly  honoured  ; 
but  more  honoured  in  its  origin  than  men  can  honour  it.  These  So- 
cieties have  your  favour,  and  could  not  long  exist  without  it.  You 
speak  for  them  ;  you  buy  their  books,  and  you  take  up  contributions 
of  charity  for  them.  I  ask  you  to  consider  the  case,  and  what  I 
have  stated.  It  is  certain  that  the  public  pays  more  for  what  charity 
does  than  the  same  would  cost  when  produced  by  individual  means 
and  enterprise  ;  and  that  it  is,  therefore,  a  bad  economy  of  sacred 
funds.  It  is  certain  that  such  use  of  these  funds  does  a  wrcng  to  in- 
dividuals engaged  in  this  branch  of  business,  and  drives  a  large 
amount  of  capital  out  of  it,  and  causes  it  to  be  invested  in  ])ublish- 
ing  injurious  books.  This  is  a  great  and  growing  evil.  Far  too 
many  religious  books  and  children's  books  are  published  by  these 
societies.  This  results  from  their  compciition  to  do  business.  No- 
thing can  be  more  worldly  than  their  manner  of  doing  business. 
They  encroach  upon  each  other.  For  instance,  the  Tract  Society, 
in  her  zeal  to  do  aU  things,  publishes  a  class  of  juvenile  and  illus- 
trated l)Ooks,  which  are  fast  supplying  the  field  of  die  American 
Sunday  School  Union.  The  former,  so  far  as  the  interests  of  reli- 
gion arc  concerned,  does  more  than  enough  in  this  de])artment. 

I'ut  I  will  add  no  more  liere,  but  simply  ask  every  rc'adcr  can- 
didly to  consider  what  I  liave  to  say.  If  tliere  is  truth  in  it,  if  the 
wrongs  and  evils,  whicli  I  here  j)roclaiin,  are  half  true,  let  these  soci- 
eties go  ;  let  them  perish  as  expedients  that  have  been  tried  till  they 
are  no  longer  useful  ;  till  the  princii)k^  on  which  they  rest  is  known 
to  be  evil,  and  to  be  working  evil  more  and  more. 


AMKRICAX    TRACT     SOCIETY. 

'I'jiis  institulioii  is  called  a  Tract  Society,  and,  as  sucli  societies 
are  apt  to  do,  has  been  tempted  in  its  ?tren<flli  to  depart  from  its  de- 
siun  and  become  a  larsje  book-publisbing  concern,  one  of  the  largest 
in  our  countrv.  It  professes  to  furnish  relisious  books  at  cost,  and 
perhaps  when  th.e  expenses  of  its  400  colporteurs  and  the  large  sala- 
ries of  its  many  agents  and  clerks  arc  reckoned  into  the  account,  this 
may  be  found  true.  Its  publications  are  certainly  sold  so  near  their 
cost  that  all  private  enterprise  and  capital  must  fail  in  any  attempt  to 
publish  at  similar  rates.  Here,  then,  is  a  society  Midi  its  many 
hundreds  of  agents  and  servants,  with  mouth  so  large  that  nothing 
can  till  it,  and  with  tonijues  so  various  ?.nd  many-ioned,  that  you  can 
Jiear  nothinii  else,  crying  to  be  supported  on  the  charity  of  Christian 
people,  and  yet  doing  nothing  to  support  itself.  Its  hired  emissaries, 
its  devouring  presses,  are  fed  at  the  hand  of  charily — a  weak,  ill- 
judging,  yet  generous  charily.  "Well,  what  is  the  result?  It  has 
paralysed  the  enterprise  of  individuals  lawfully  engaged  in  publish- 
ing rcliifious  and  useful  books.  It  lias,  to  an  extent  many  times  ex- 
ceediuir  the  means  and  influence  of  the  society,  dri^•en  the  capital  of 
publishers  into  new  channels,  and  caused,  directly  and  indirectly,  the 
circulation  in  cheap  forms  of  more  useless  and  injurious  Ijooks  than 
the  society,  widi  iier  thousand  hands  and  lonL''ues  and  charity  boxes, 
can  ever  counteract.  This  is  no  idle  and  unmeaning  view  of  the 
case.  I'lvery  bookseller  knows  the  danger  and  impolicy  of  publish- 
ino-.  or  kiepinif  on  his  shelves,  relii,nous  books,  'i'lie  entire  book 
bu::iness  has  underiTone  a  chancre.  AVholesale  dealers,  who  supplied 
country  bnoks(!lers,  seldom  got  a.n  order,  live  years  a^o.  which  did 
noi  iihlude  nianv  reljirious  books.  Xow,  it  is  a  rare  thinu'  that  a 
sii;;ib-  1,1  mIv  of  a  n  liiiious  kind  i-  called  fur  by  hous."S  that  furnierly 
sold  tiidu-ands.  Th(-v  sav  thev  cannot  sell  iheni,  that  the  demand 
has  c(a-('d.  'I'iiis  is  known  to  b(;  true  througli  tlic  whole  country, 
as  a  c!.:':!ii^v  ill  iiie  limes.  'I'luv  can  now  onlv  sell  scliool  books, 
novr!-.  ji;,';;iri'  I-mdI^.^,  mul  siaiidartl  liooks,  ami  none  (jihers  pay  for 
pi. bh-i. :;:.;.  'I'l.i-  is  th(/  g(  iieral  ,-uitLment  of  nun  eiiu-aged  in  the 
trade.  li  i-  r:ii;M-:l  by  tin;  ;!ciion  of  religious  societies,  and  m(jst  of 
ail  by  tbh-.  liiM.ilv  iiKikiiiLi'  tract  socictv.  ^^'her^Vl  r  the}'  can  s(-ll  a 
book  tlicy  si  lid  a  iiii.n  with  it,  and  when  he  ta.kcs  pay  for  it,  l.e  asks 
lor  a  doiri'ioii.  il'  ib-iv-  i-  any  liiiiunrance  of  ability  to  give  it.  'J'hus, 
I'.r    o'l'.s    ii;    ;.::d    I;  k(  -    out,  alwa\-s  taking    more    thiai  i.e  naves,  if  he 


can.  Well,  this  method  supplies  every  family  that  can  be  reached 
with  a  few  religious  books,  and  fleeces  it  of  what  charity  it  can.  anti, 
as  religious  books  are  not  necessaries  of  life,  what  is  gotten  in  this 
way,  supplies  and  satisfies,  so  that  there  is  seldom  a  call  on  book- 
sellers, and  if  they  should  happen  to  be  called  on,  unless  the  desired 
book  is  at  the  society's  low  rate,  it  is  declined,  or  bought  with  a 
conviction  that  an  exorbitant  price  has  been  charged. 

This,  then,  is  a  brief  sketch  of  the  society's  influence.  But  they 
say,  you  show  that  we  make  books  cheap  and  are  very  diligent 
in  circulating  them.  Is  not  that  a  good  ?  What  care  we  for  the 
booksellers  ?  Well,  booksellers  don't  want  your  care,  but  they 
would  like  you  to  have  sense  as  well  as  religion.  That  is  all. 
But  what  sense  is  there  in  your  doing  by  charity  what  individual  en- 
terprise would  gladly  do,  and  make  books  cheaper  to  the  people  than 
you  do,  if  you  add  to  your  prices  the  charities  they  give  you. 
There  is  no  cheapness  in  your  system  but  what  lies  in  appearance  : 
it  is  an  expensive  system  to  the  public.  It  taxes  the  poor  as  well 
as  the  rich.  You  would  take  money  from  the  poorest,  if  you  could 
get  it,  and  you  often  can,  for  poverty  is  generally  charitable.  You 
gather  apples  of  thorns.  But  I  would  have  you  know  it  is  a  waste 
of  Christian  charity  that  is  spent  on  you.  If  you  used  the  economy 
that  good  men  should,  if  you  did  not  try  to  do  more  than  a  prudent 
business  safrncity  dictates,  if  you  charged  the  prices  for  books  by 
which  industry  can  thrive  and  be  rewarded,  now  that  you  are  made 
so  great,  every  stream  of  charity  might  turn  from  you  to  other  and 
more  leiiitimate  ends,  and  you  be  left  with  means  enough  to  do  a 
ereat  anii  successful  business.  And  if,  to  what  you  might  do  in  that 
case,  you  add  what  others  would  do  in  the  same  cr.use,  and  in  a  fa'w 
field  of  competition,  more  religious  books  would  be  read  and  pub- 
lislicd  than  now  are,  and  an  amount  of  capital,  a  thousand-fold  (rreater 
than  yours,  would  l^e  turned  from  catering  to  the  corrupt  appetite  cf 
the  people,  to  spreading  useful  and  religious  knowledge. 

I  tlnnk  your  vocation,  as  you  ha\e  turned  it  into  l)ook-makin<i;  is 
a  bald  superfluity  ;  and  if  1  could  convince  the  religious  public  of  it, 
I  slioulii  thiiik  I  liad  done  a  jireat  s'-od.  There  are  olijects  enou^b, 
every  one  knows,  of  more  needful  charily  than  you  are.  Y(  u  may 
call  your  vocation  preaching,  but  I  do  not.  God  has  instiuiled  a 
Church  and  Ministry  to  convert  the  world  and  keep  up  a  knov.dedge 
of  himself,  and  if  tlie  charity  that  is  given  you  were  expended  in 
educating  ministers  to  proclaim  the  word;  in  building  churclies  and 


c 

attracting  people  to  them  ;  in  supporting  missionaries  and  pastors, 
many  of  whom  arc  labouring  with  constitutions  broken,  and  minds 
enfeebled  by  the  cares  and  griefs  of  an  inadequate  support,  I  think 
tliat  the  skies  over  us  would  brighten  in  approbation  of  the  change, 
riuw  many  poor  slieplierds  of  (.'hrisl's  flock  are  there,  wlio  hunger 
for  bread,  who  cannot  buy  a  book  to  replenish  their  exhausted  minds, 
wdiose  ministry  is  made  feeble  and  unproductive  by  causes  like  tlicse ; 
who  might  speak  living  tracts,  if  fed  each  with  a  moiety  of  the 
charity  you  claim. 

What  business  have  Christians  to  give  their  charity  to  do  that 
whicli  l)usiness  enterprise  and  ca])ital  would  do,  if  let  aloiie,  quite  as 
well  and  cheaply  1  None  at  all,  till  it  can  be  shown  that  there  are 
no  neglected  and  more  useful  channels  for  their  charity  to  run  in.  It 
is  l)ad  economy  to  do  any  thing  with  the  funds  of  cliarity  which 
ready  and  unemployed  hands  would  do  willi  their  own  means.  But 
does  any  one  suppose  that  a  demand  for  religious  books  would  be 
unsuppHed  ?  No.  The  coflers  of  inlldclity  itself  would  be  readily 
opened  to  supply  the  want.  Should  we  not  employ  the  unsanclified 
talent  and  wealth  of  men  for  such  an  object?  Of  course  we  should 
mIicu  we  can.  It  is  a  weak,  a  stupid,  tliough  it  may  1)0  a  well  mean- 
ing, charily  which  would  do  any  work  of  this  kind. 

'J'his  society  furnishes  the  Church   no  books  which  she  does  not 

pay  more  for  than  the  same  would  cost  if  she  left  book-publishing 

to  take  its  own  course.      Men  are  not  justly  called  upon  to  aid  this 

society.      It  should  stand  in  its  own    strength,  and  live  by  its   own 

business,  or  not  at  all.      It  docs   nothing',   when  it  goes   out  of  its 

own  sjilierc,  as  it  lias,  which  tlie  Church  needs,  and  it  is  an  abuse  to 

ask   the  religious  public  to  sustain  it.      It  is  an  abuse,  becr.usc  such 

misdirected  charity  drives  a  great  amount  of  funds  out  of  the  service 

of  rcliLnon  and  turns  it  against  the  \vcll-l)eing  of  society.  ■      Yet  the 

*  A  !>oo!;,-  -llrr,  \\\\o  had  jniMislird  ;i  lilMi'  and  si'voral  ollirr  religious  hooks, 
tiinird  oi'  lali'  1')  ]UihHsIiiii;f  l)Ooks  ol'  iiiurdrr;-:,  of  rolihd's,  and  cfiaiiiia!  ral.'iidars 
L;riic!ail\  ;  and  whoti  rcnioiistrr.t.'d  \vith,  h.e  siid,  ih.c  rh.aritv  socictirs  had  i]v- 
s(i::;.rd  tlir  vahi.-  of  his  hotter  hook,;  ;  hi-  coii'd  not  sell  them,  ami  he  must  do 
Miinithiii!:  to  supjiorl  his  liniiilv,  and  jii'olo'/t  his  ])roi)f'rty  imcstod.  Jlc  conld 
ni)l  clian.M'  to  any  other  husincss,  r.nr  coidd  hi'  live  on  tho  cruinhs  th.at  liill  iVom 
ihesi'  cliarilN  lahl'-s.  'J'his  is  on"  of  )nai)\'  instanros  of  a  siiiiikir  rharacler. 
'J'hese  - -eirlies  are  ilesfr^iyiriL'-  all  f'le  sniailer  jiiihlishers,  and  (h-i\inL,'- tl:r!!)  into 
sneh  exjiedi;  nl  ■  and  shills  for  a  li\in':.  It  ]-\  a  natnral  rcsnlt,  and  shows  roiadn- 
si\id\-  that  charilN  has  no  ridit  to  midertake  a  husiness  of  the  kind,  and.  in  lact, 
ail'.  !'i:-;ne-.s  Imt  soi'li  as  n')  lalionr  ean  live  hv.  It  can  oidy  do  so  on  the  ]ii-inci- 
|)!e  ..f  d'lin-;  e\il  tint  -ood  may  ,-o:;;  ■.  \\'i'I'.onf  the  aid  oi'  this  .h'snitieal  prin- 
ciple, no  charity  pnhlication  siK-ielv  can  he  defended.  'J'hey  injio'e  and  rnin 
n,en  in  l!:e  same  line  oi'  hnsini'ss,  and  they  care  not  fiir  it  hccausc  of  sianic  good 
thev  ha\e  in  vii'^.v.      This  is  luit  artinL''  out  the  principle. 


agents  of  tliis  begging  institution  will  tell  the  people,  you  must  give 
us  money  to  publish  good  books  to  counteract  the  influence  of  bad 
ones,  now  so  numerous,  when  it  is  the  policy  and  agency  of  the  so- 
ciety which  has  so  multiplied  bad  books  of  late  years.  It  is  a  com- 
mon sentiment  of  booksellers,  that  this  is  the  fact;  and  I  trust  I 
have  made  it  sufficiently  apparent,  by  exhibiting  the  false  and  inju- 
rious principles  on  which  the  business  of  this  institution  is  con- 
ducted. 

Apply  the  same  principles  to  any  other  branch  of  business,  and  it 
would  and  must  ruin  it.  Suppose  you  get  up  a  great  charity-box 
and  call  it  a  work-shop,  and  have  apartments  for  various  arts,  and 
say,  we  will  supply  the  poor  and  rich  at  cost;  I  reckon  wc  could  get 
agents  enough  to  work  in  it,  by  paying  them  well,  who  would  be 
very  zealous  in  calling  it  a  benevolent  and  useful  institution ;  and  if 
the  public  chose  to  supply  its  demands  in  this  way,  it  would  soon 
be  the  ruin  of  all  engaged  in  the  same  business.  Is  there  any  more 
legitimate  branch  of  business  than  that  oi  publishing  and  selling  use- 
ful books,  and  is  there  so  little  that  we  can  do  with  our  charity,  or 
have  we  so  much  of  it,  that  we  must  drive  every  man  with  his 
UTcans  from  the  field  ?  "When  will  good  people  see  the  folly  of  estab- 
lishing any  such  publishing  concern  without  requiring  it  after  a  fair 
start  to  support  itself  by  the  sale,  at  proper  business  prices,  of  what 
it  produces,  giving  away  only  of  its  acquired  ability  ?  Tliis  is  the 
only  live  and  let  live  principle  that  can  apply  to  the  subject,  and  I 
will  add,  the  only  just  and  sensible  principle  that  can  apply  to  it. 

I  might  extend  the  application  of  these  principles,  and  show  their 
injurious  action,  show  that  they  all  land  us  in  evil  and  folly  by  means 
of  our  own  cliarity.  Our  charity  is  a  talent  that  is  to  be  improved 
wisely,  or  not  at  all.  Any  thing  that  touches  the  motives  of  human 
industry,  to  weaken  them;  any  thing  that  charity  does  that  would  be 
done  if  slie  let  it  alone,  is  a  positive  evil,  and  the  law  which  makes 
it  so,  is  written  by  the  finger  of  God,  and  we  ai'c  bound  to  see  its 
characters  in  his  word,  yea,  sinking  into  the  very  flesh  of  our  nature. 

THE    rOLI.OWIXC.    TROPOSITIONS    AND    STATKMEXTS    ARE    COXSIDERKD 
INCONTROVERTIBLE. 

1st.  That  it  is  wrong  in  any  case  for  charity  to  undertake  a  work 
which  there  is  a  sufficient  motive  for  labour  to  perforin,  'i'hat  its 
only  legitimate  sphere  is  in  doing  what  would  not  be  done  if  slie  let 


it  alone.  'J'liat  all  charily  publication  societies,  tried  hy  this  rule, 
must  fall  to  the  ground.  That,  however  useful  they  might  have  been 
at  first,  thev  are  no  longer  so;  but  arc  wronging  men  in  the  same 
line  of  business,  and  doing  a  work  with  more  expense  to  tlie  public, 
than  it  would  cost  to  do  it  in  any  other  way.  It  does  not  help  the 
case  at  all,  that  reasonable  prices  are  charired  for  the  products  of  these 
societies.  ^Vhen  this  is  the  case,  the  buver  and  cliarity  both  give 
certain  prices  fur  a  book,  which  put  together,  make  it  cost  more  than 
it  would  if  produced  by  private  labour  and  capital,  and  tJiat  by  all 
cJiarltij  has  jwihl  in  the  case  This  sinyle  illustration  shows 
that  /('  can  nn-rr  be  consistent  ivilh  jjublic  economij  to  emploij 
charity  in  this  vuy.  I  admit,  indeed,  that  charity  may  properly 
be  einplov(  d  in  circulaliuL''  reliii'ious  books  ;  and  even  if  the  Tract 
Society  had  coniiued  itself  to  publishinrr  tracts,  as  these  are  matters 
to  be  given  away,  and  require  much  particularity  of  attention  in  pro- 
ducing; them,  there  would  have  been  no  ground  of  coiuplaint ;  but 
this  and  other  societies  have  departed  from  their  design  aiul  attempt- 
ed to  do  every  thi!i!j.  'i'liey  have  so  trumpeted  their  usefulness,  that 
o-ood  people,  \v>i  considering  or  understanding  what  they  were  doing 
and  its  ellects,  have  given  them  money  freely  to  work  with.  Tims 
iliey  have  advanced,  till  they  have  become  a  monstrous  expense  to 
th.e  public,  and  are  workiiii,''  the  ruin  of  thousands,  connected  with 
the  trade,  w;io  would  do  all  this  work  cheaper,  provided  charity 
would  do  Avhat  it  now  docs  to  circulate  th.e  books.  Take  the  interest 
of  tlie  money  thrt  tlic  'Vrwi  Society  lias  invested  in  real  estate  and. 
otherwise,  and  that  ah»nf  would  meet  the  expense  of  circulatinir 
more  books  ihrin  the  soci(  iy  now  does,  a.iid  the  cliurch  be  saved  all 
expense  for  r.afiits  a.nd  colporteurs.  Can  sensi!)lc  men  look  at  ficis 
like  these,  ajul  feel  that  therj  is  any  propriety  in  continuiiifr  such  an 
insiitnliim  .' 

'■h\.  'J'his  and,  similar  institutions  are  doiuL^  more  harm  in  their 
t'Muleney  to  (li-eir, ir.ii/e  tliC  hiich'T  'j:railfs  of  author^Jii]!.  in  sacrri' 
llti  ntf nri.  Iiid.,  (I'll!  u'o-iii  ih'i/  can  accmnjilhli .  If  an  autlior  will 
writ!;  a  liulit  v,'eir!%,  a  fi''!if)n,  a  saluihlt  book,  a  liilter  ?eet:;rian  boo!-:. 
iie  may  liml  ><^\\\y'  ciKiritv  llau  vi'iU  pulilisli  it  and,  pav  him  somethine 
lor  i;  :  but  i;:t  ;:i-r"t  er  calholic  work  will  liiey  tmieh  ;  and  ihey  cre- 
:U"  am!  1m;!  I!  (!i-i:.^i"  iVip  reading;'  such  works;  tliev  impoverish 
reirnl;:!-  i)u!)!i-!ier^,  ;;!iJ  ill- hearten  tliem  al)out  undertakiuir  such 
worlds.  \\  a  clirirvin:  11  wee.Id  pulilisli  a  volume  of  discourses,  or 
anv  woiix  (if  lirrat  learninir,  he  would  not   tliink  of  trointj  to  these  so- 


9 

cieties  to  publish  it,  and  they  would  not  take  it  if  he  gave  it  to  them. 
And  yet  no  mind  can  estimate  the  influence  for  good  of  such  produc- 
tions as  are  worthy  to  live.  They  are  the  only  living  links  that  con- 
nect the  spirits  of  one  age  with  anotlier,  and  keep  men  in  the  style 
of  men.  What  should  we  have  been,  if  the  last  age  had  left  us  no- 
tliing  but  such  issues  as  come  from  these  societies?  'J'he  dilutions 
would  have  sickened  us,  and  kept  us  children  to  the  last.  We 
should  have  had  but  dribblets  of  knowledge,  and  we  might  as  well 
have  had  a  library  of  chips,  and  studied  how  they  were  struck  out, 
whether  with  one  or  two  blows.  I  consider  the  religious  authorship 
of  this  lime  killed  by  charity,  I  mean  such  authorship  as  will  do  any 
good  in  coming  time.  The  only  bait  held  out  is  to  write  to  please 
children  or  sects,  and  there  are  so  manv  hirelings  that  have  capacity 
for  these  things,  that  they  swarm  upon  us  in  leaves  ;  and  a  pity  it  is 
that  they  could  not  be  turned  to  enriching  the  earth  as  other  leaves 
are.  We  could  then  see  some  use  in  this  creation  of  charity.  I  do 
not  mean  to  say  that  respectable  books  are  not  written  for  them  ;  but 
that  they  publish  a  great  deal  of  trash,  and  that  they  melt  up  almost 
as  many  sets  of  stereotype  plates  in  a  year,  as  they  make  new 
ones,  and  thus  they  go  on,  wasting  the  charity  of  the  Church  in 
time,  paper,  printing,  and  stereotyping  fresh  works  to  share  the  same 
fate.  Is  there  any  farce  like  this  farce  ?  Would  any  of  these  societies 
have  published  the  works  of  Presidents  Edwards  and  Dwiglit  ?  No. 
And  yet  their  works  have  done  more  for  mind  and  religion  than  all 
the  books  tlicv  ever  Iiave  or  will  publish  ;  and  so  of  many  other 
works  that  niiifhl  be  named  ;  yet  these  societies  are  called  about  the 
only  airents  of  good  we  have  in  these  times  ;  they  do  any  thing  to 
raise  i'unds,  on  the  pica  of  utility ;  send  their  travelling  agents  over 
the  land  for  this  purpose,  who  get  plenty  of  money,  because  it  is  ima- 
ixincd  they  are  doing  a  good  work,  when  it  is  only  a  work  of  super- 
lluity  they  do,  and  this  at  the  expense  of  men  who  would  do  it  quite 
as  cheaply,  yea,  more  cheaply,  without  one  cent's  charge  to  the  pub- 
lic. When  will  men  see  things  as  they  rrre  .'  Sliame  on  tlie  incon- 
sideration  of  those  who,  if  they  l;e  honest,  must  be  deluded  in  prey- 
inof  thus  on  the  pious  charilv  of  the  pulilic  1  I  have  no  doubt  of  the 
well-meaning  of  the  persons  concerned  in  these  eilorts,  but  I  have  as 
liiile  doubt  of  iheir  utter  inuiilitv. 


10 


THr     FOLLOWIXO      PROPOSITIONS     MAY     P,E      CONSIDERED     AS     FAIRLY 
DRAWN    FROM    WHAT    I    HAVE    V/RITTEN    ON    THIS    SUBJECT. 

Isl.  That  it  is  a  preversion  of  Christian  cliarity  to  publish  books 
wiiicli  private  enterprise  and  capital  would  furnish  quite  as  cheaply. 

2d.  That  the  publications  of  these  societies,  when  all  expenses  which 
are  paid  by  charita'ule  contributions  are  reckoned  into  the  account, 
cost  the  religious  public  more  than  the  same  would  in  any  other 
way  of  producing  them,  besides  the  incidental  evil  of  driving  or 
temptintr  a  large  amount  of  capital  into  injurious  channels. 

,3d.    'J'iiat  the  action  of  the  societies  is,  therefore,  inexpedient. 

4lli.  That  charily,  given  for  such  an  object,  is  not  only  wasted, 
but  works  a  positive  evil  to  die  community,  by  violati):g  every  sound 
j)rincipie  of  political  economy. 

5th.  That  every  institution  of  tlie  kind  should  be  conducted  on 
-■elf-supporiing  principles,  and  thereby  leave  a  fair  field  for  competi- 
tion to  individual  enterprise. 

Gill.  Tliat  the  Church  has  no  charity  which  she  can  rightfully 
employ  in  disregard  of  these  principles. 

Till.  Tliat  charity  must  be  just  and  sensible,  or  it  degenerates  into 
a  miscliief-working  weakness,  not  to  be  reasoned  with. 

8th.  That  when  Uiis  institution,  or  anv  one  acting  in  the  name  of 
i-harity,  and  for  the  public,  sjood,  violates  the  jilain  priiiciples  of  mo- 
ralily,  as  has  Ijeen  often  doiie,  by  publishing  the  same  books  as  other 
i>ublisiiers,  and  t:ierci)y  depreciaiinir.  and,  in  some  cases,  destroying 
he  value  of  the  propertv  in  tli('ir  hamls,  it  does  in  the  na.nie  of  the 
■•liurch,  and  with  a  religious  SLinciion,  v.'hat  olfends  the  nii'iral  sense 
of  an  irreliifious  world. 

rs'ow,  what  is  the  csiiuiadrin  in  v.hicii  the  claims  vA'  ;;  societv 
'■houid  be  held  that  public! v  ilisrejards  all  these  con.-id'M-" lions,  and 
pub!i<iics  !)()oks  professedly  at  co>;,  anil  calls  on  the  r(]i:::ou.s  public 
;o  p»ay  all  its  e(ilj)orte\irs  a.nd  aL''cnts,  and  to  loot  all  its  bill-  .' 

yii'A  will  give  onlv  a  certain  amou;;;  of  tin  ir  inconn;  i'l  cliaritv, 
and  c:.\\  it  be  believed  dial  a.n  instinumn  conducted  as  inis  is,  can 
/usi'v  claim  tile  largf  share  it  receivi^>  .'  I  cannot  l!;i!!l-  sn,  or  sec 
;aiw  anv  thouii'htlid  mind  c;uj.  I  iiave  v/riltt-n,  as  1  think,  wiihou: 
;<l;i:"ious  ur  srriariaii  piTJiidici'  to  the  societv,  a.nd  witli  a  ])ur[)0-'e  to 
xi'T'-.-s.  i'i:arle-slv,  Jiftnest  cduviciions.  I  Inivc  smiLiht  in  exhibit  the 
;)r.:a'ij.|i  <  \v;,i;'!i  ar(,'  in\-o!v((l  in  the  case.  1  think  1  sc"  enougii  in 
'hem  •')  call  Un'  public  considcra.lion.      Let  it  be  shov.m  tb.a.t  this  is  a 


11 

legitimate  charity  as  now  managed,  or  let  it  be  abandoned,  and  let 
other  more  needful  objects  receive  the  charity  of  a  considerate 
pubhc.  ' 

111  my  previous  remarks  I  have  confined  my  attention  mostly  to  the 
American  Tract  Society,  because  that  society  openly  professes,  and 
manifestly  does  publish  books  at  cost,  and  in  some  instances,  I  know,  no 
regular  publisher  could  make  the  same  book  by  the  thousand  at  so 
low  a  rate  as  that  society  will  sell  them  at  retail ;  and  yet  from  prices 
that  are  below  cost  of  making,  it  will  make  a  discount  to  sellers  of  20 
per  cent.  A  superabundance  of  charity  enables  the  society  to  do  this. 
Thus  the  Church  is  furnisliing  the  poor  and  the  rich,  and  even  book- 
sellers, with  books  at  cost,  and  even  below  cost,  in  some  instances. 
This  is  very  generous,  but  more  stupid  than  generous.  Tried  by  any 
principles  of  reason,  justice  or  public  economy,  it  is  ridiculously 
Avrong. 

But  the  principles  of  reasoning  wliich  I  have  applied  to  this  society, 
will  appl}-  with  more  or  less  force  to  all  charity  publication  societies. 
Tills  I  will  show  before  I  have  done.  They  are  all  wrong  in  principle 
and  wrong  in  action.  They  work  wrong  because  they  are  wrong 
in  principle, 

I  think  it  is  wrong  for  religious  charity  to  engage  in  any  branch  of 
merchandize.  If  it  may  engage  in  one  branch  on  the  plea  of  utility, 
it  may  engaije  in  all,  for  all  are  useful,  and  then  we  should  have  tlie 
spectacle  of  the  Church's  doing  all  the  business  of  the  world.  It 
M-ould  then  be  a  secular  Church,  and  its  ministers  be  secular  rnen,  as 
many  now  arc,  to  a  mournful  extent,  from  the  multiplicity  of  cares 
and  duties  which  publication  societies  and  their  committeeships  im- 
pose on  them.  The  course  which  things  are  taking  is  secularizing 
tJic,  Church  and  ministry.  That  is  one  and  no  small  objection.  For 
this  there  is  nothing  in  the  Bible,  or  in  the  practice  of  the  primitive 
Church,  to  give  the  least  sanction,  but  every  thing  against  it.  It 
violates  every  true  idea  of  a  Church  and  ministry  as  divine  institu- 
tions, 

Xot  i^ar  from  a  miliion  and  a  half  of  dollars  is  given  annually  in  the 
name  of  tiie  Church  to  publish  books.  Three  fourths  or  more  of  the 
entire  capital  employed  in  the  religious  branch  of  book  business ^is 
charity,  and  the  litde  private  capital  remaining  in  it,  is  fast  making  its 
escape  as  from  a  burning  house.  It  would  open  men's  eyes  to  the 
folly  and  wrong  of  this  system,  if  you  were  to  propose  that  the  Church 
should  do  all  this  business  and  drive  all  private  enterprise  andcapital 


12 

out  of  ttie  field.  O  no,  this  will  not  do,  it  would  be  said,  and  yet 
these  institutions  are  saddling  this  business  on  the  Church  as  fast  as 
possible  ;  and  wd  have  the  spectacle  now  of  as  much  competition,  as 
much  cupidit)',  as  much  ingenuity,  as  much  catering  to  public  taste, 
as  can  be  found  among  any  class  of  men  engaged  in  the  same  branch 
of  business.  They  are  not  content  to  stay  in  t!ie  sphere  they  were 
created  to  move  in.  They  hitch  on  to  their  wheels  every  thing  they 
can  make  money  by.  They  open  shops  and  sell  general  books,  and 
their  pica  is,  that  they  must  make  their  expenses,  but  the  plan  is  a 
virtual  tax  on  booksellers  to  pay,  so  far  as  they  retail  other  publica- 
tions than  their  own,  and  so  far  as  those  profits  go,  the  expenses  of 
these  establishments.  For  example,  the  American  Sunday  School 
Union,  though  professedly  not  a  Sectarian  institution,  makes  more  an- 
nually by  the  sale  of  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer,  than  any  two  stores 
in  the  city  by  retailing  the  same  book.  It  has  no  proper  riiiht  as  a  charity 
institution  so  to  do,  and  all  that  is  so  made  comes  out  of  the  book- 
sellers, and  goes  to  support  the  accents  and  clerks  of  the  Society.  This 
society  too  keeps  most  reliLnous  books — is  a^^cnt  for  a  publishin<i  house 
in  London,  and  does  as  much  as  she  can  to  monopolize  the  religious 
book  business  of  the  city  ;  and,  I  say,  it  is  all  a  tax  on  the  business 
of  the  trade,  ma.de  in  the  name  of  charity,  and  ajiplied  in  the  name  of 
charity  to  support  salaries,  and  do  a  charity  work  in  that  institution, 
and  so  far  as  it  goes,  has  a  tendency  to  dishep.rten  and  drive  oitt  of 
the  business  of  reliiiious  boolcscllinir  all  who  are  attemptin-j  to  live  by 
it.  The  jniblic,  loo,  arc  tauLdil  that  when  they  buy  hooks  at  llic 
connters  of  the  societies,  thev  arc  fMjntriiiutiiii:  to  tlie  trcasurv  of  the 
Lord.  This  is  an  enornious  fallacy.  It  noes  evcrv  cent  to  rnal'le 
tliesi;  instit\itioiis  to  build  up  large  and  ovcrav.'ing  stores,  to  ifivc  l:irirr'i 
sa.larics.  as  tli(  y  do,  than  any  private  business  can  allonl.  It  im- 
JlOvcri^li!  s  men  \vho  irive  all  their  time  and  means  to  puiijish  ai:i!!  sell 
books,  (juite  as  useful  as  anv  tlial  the  societies  can  jni!)lish.  So  far 
from  bi.iii'f  a  dutv  or  a  charity,  it  makes  the  rich  richer  :uid  the  joor 
j/OoriT.  :t  is  a  ])rii!ci|!lc  ibat  would  take  the  brcMl  out  of  tli"  mouth 
of  tla-  :t;ir\in^-  ch'Mrcn  of  men  IkjucsiIv  doiiiL""  all  that  their  time  and 
nu 'iiis  Vviii  I  un'iile  them  to  do  f )r  the  henelit  ol'  thi:  ronimujiitv,  and 
</i\(;  it  whfa-c  it  is  not  nce.'^'d.  ov  convert  it  into  tiie  outward  cnil;roiderv 
of  a  -l.ov.-y  and  useless  charitv.  'J'his  is  the  amoiiiit  of  it,  und  the 
!)e,'-i  ;!::v  (•■m  'nr  riiade  of  it.  ]\  is  no  ])rineiple  ;  it  is  ;i  notion  'jot  iq. 
by  the  fl:iinoi;r  of  these  insiiiuti(;iis  forcliarity  ;  a  clamour  tha.t  would 
die  down  and  sink  to  a  irentlc  and  rational  voice,  were  it  not   for  the 


13 

self-interest  which  the  salaried  abettors  of  these  institutions  have  in 
glorifying  them-#misunderstanding  and  misleading  the  public  as  to 
their  real  utility.  There  is  no  utility  in  them,  viewed  on  a  large  scale, 
and  estimated  by  their  far-reaching  results.  Religious  charity  cannot 
undertake  such  a  work  as  this  without  landing  itself  in  unmitigated 
Avrong  doing.  Charity  thus  says  you  shall  not  get  your  living  by  the 
sweat  of  your  brow.  I  will  annul  this  law,  but  leave  you  without  a 
living.  I  will  do  all  the  work,  and  this  seems  very  generous,  but 
then  she  adds,  I  intend  also  to  pocket  all  the  profits.  It  is  useful  and 
productive  labour,  not  labour  that  lives  on  charity,  which  charity 
should  botli  create  and  foster. 

I  speak  strongly,  because  I  am  just  as  well  convinced  of  the  in- 
utility and  evil  of  these  institutions,  as  at  present  conducted,  as  I  am 
of  any  truth  that  has  ever  been  stated. 

The  Sunday  School  Union  is  liable  to  the  same  objections  in  prin- 
ciple that  I  have  made  to  the  Tract  Society.  Like  that,  it  professes 
to  furnish  its  publications  at  cost.  It  gives  away  to  the  amount  of  its 
charily  receipts,  and  all  the  profits  it  can  make  on  the  sale  of  books, 
go  to  support  expenses.  This  is  the  same  as  the  Tract  Society  in 
principle,  and  as  completely  shuts  out  all  competition.  It  is  all 
charity,  charity,  and  no  cheapness. 

The  American  Bible  Society  is  liable  to  the  same  objections.  It 
is  a  useless  and  very  expensive  institution  to  the  public.  I  have  Iieard 
booksellers  say  they  would  give  that  Society  $20,000  and  take  its 
business,  and  bind  themselves  and  their  heirs  in  all  time  to  supply 
the  demand  for  Bibles  at  the  Society's  price,  and  thus  save  to  the 
religious  public  all  the  charity  it  expends  in  making  Bibles.  I  have 
no  doubt  Bibles  in  that  case,  if  purchased  in  large  quantities,  as  they 
now  are,  for  gratuitous  distribution,  would  be  furnished  cheaper  than 
tliey  now  are  ;  and  so  of  all  religious  books  which  it  is  desirable  to 
give  away  or  sell  at  low  prices.  If  Societies  were  formed  as  now 
to  purchase  and  distribute  them,  and  t!ie  publishing  of  them  were  left 
to  individual  enterprise,  the  price  would  fall  to  the  lowest  Hvhig  point,' 
and  there  would  be  hands  and  capital  enough  to  engage  ui  producing 
them  at  one  half  they  now  cost  the  Church  in  charity.  There  can  be 
no  doubt  of  this.  Twenty  thousand  Bibles  have  been  imported  the 
last  year,  cheaper  than  they  could  be  bound  for  here  in  the  same  style. 
There  cannot  be  a  demand  of  this  kind  which  would  not  be  supplied, 
and  the  price  would  fall  in  proportion  to  the  demand.     This  is  a  law 


14 

of  trade  as  certain  to  secure  these  results,  as  that  two  and  iwo  make 
four.  # 

Quarto  Bibles  are  manufactured  and  sold  to  ihe  trade  in  any  quantity 
for  seventv-(lve  cents,  and  this  is  lower  than  anv  of  the  Society  Bibles 
— it  is  so  low  that  no  person  can  live  by  it.  Suppose  the  Bible  So- 
ciety has  $200,000  invested  in  real  estate  and  nialerial  for  business, 
and  suppose  the  interest,  812,000,  were  expended  annually  in  cir- 
ciilaiiiiff  Bibles,  leaving  the  publishing  of  them  to  the  trade,  what  a 
saving  of  expense  it  would  be  to  the  Church,  and  Bibles  would  be  as 
cheap  as  they  are  now,  and  better  got  up,  when  left  in  this  way  to 
the  competition  of  the  trade. 

Tlie  American  Sunday  School  Union  probably  never  did  and  never 
can  make  enough  on  the  sale  of  its  own  publications  to  meet  its  ex- 
penses, and  lience  it  has  to  rob  booksellers  by  undertaking  tlie  sale 
of  otlier  books,  and  using  all  appliances  to  invite  trade.  Its  expenses, 
its  salaries,  are  greater  than  any  private  house  does  or  can  pay  ;  and 
if  all  \vere  charged  on  the  prices  of  its  own  books,  salaries  and  ex- 
penses must  come  doun,  or  prices  go  up  to  an  unendurable  height; 
and  hence  as  they  can  sell  liooks,  booksellers  must  be,  or  are  taxed, 
to  make  up  the  deficiency.  This  is  the  common  sense  of  the  case, 
and  I  tliiiik  it  would  be  tamenoss  in  me  to  state  it  in  any  oUter  way, 
or  call  it  any  thing  btit  a  wrong. 

I'he  Presbyterian  Board  is  no  better  in  its  effects  on  the  book 
trade.  It  is  a  monev  making  concern,  and  docs  nothing  which 
private  enterprise  would  not  gladly  do  cheaper.  It  has  published  a 
numbrr  of  books  on  the  trade,  which  is  a  wrong  in  principle,  and  a 
supcrdrdty  In  (diarity.  It  is  making  a  house  of  mercliaiulize  of  that 
Cliurcli.  and  its  ministers  seem  to  glorv  in  the  great  work  thfy  are 
doing,  giving  time  to  it  with  a  zest  ilr.a  quite  equals  what  is  ever  seen 
in  the  walks  of  trade.  Thev  publisii  books  in  ornamental  stvle. 
'ilit'Y  cannot  find  enough  that  is  unpnblished  to  do,  but  run  so  fast, 
that  t!iey  have  declared,  as  with  a  view  to  deter  booksellers  from 
"j-jublisinng  any  Ixvik.  that   thcv  will   not  mind  it,  but  will  pu!jlish  any 


000 


thi'V  uhKiise.  no  ina.tier  who  has  published  it  bctore  ihcm.  In 
this  tliey  havi'  '.  ii'Iat-;  d.  a  ])r!ncip]e  tliat  the  sviu'st  men  in  the  book 
trade  lane  geia  rahv  regarded  as  sacnd,  /.  f.  not  to  cheapen  or  ruin 
till-  va'.ar'  of  pro:!i-r;v  alreadv  in  the  hands  of  otliers.  It  seems  to  be 
ieh  to  rel:gioi;s  ehariiy  in  la  ;•  zi.aii,  to  take  the  haul  m  ae'ting  on  this 
jiriiaapie.      If  I  was  to  g:\e  :ii\-  version  of  this,  it  v/ould   be,  that  the 


15 

church  having  gone  astray  into  dealing  in  merchandize,  God  has  left 
her  to  commit  follies  and  wrongs  greater  than  the  world  is  wont  to 
commit,  that  by  the  baldness  and  superduity  of  her  transgression,  she 
might  be  redeemed  from  long  engaging  in  the  business  of  this  world, 
and  follow  that  which  is  more  spiritual  and  more  within  the  design 
and  oflice  of  a  Church  and  ministry  on  earth.  It  is  lawful  to  make 
good  coats — it  is  wrong  that  they  should  not  be  well  made,  but  should 
the  Church  turn  itself  into  a  tailor's  shop,  and  the  ministry  set  to,  to 
work  at  that  trade  in  order  to  secure  this  result?  As  well  in  principle 
might  this  be  done,  as  that  the  Church  and  ministry  sliould  undertake 
the  publication  of  religious  books  in  this  land.  The  cases  do  not 
differ  in  principle,  differ  as  they  may  in  other  respects. 

The  Baptist  Board  are  going  largely  into  business,  and  there  never 
was  a  more  useless  charity  enterprise.  I  have  no  doubt  that  there 
is  a  publishing  house  in  Boston  and  one  in  this  city  connected  with 
this  denomination,  who  would  take  all  the  property  of  this  Society 
at  a  large  advance  on  cost,  and  furnish  the  same  and  all  other  books 
as  cheaply  to  the  people.  The  Board  could  then  use  their  interest  and 
principal  in  circulating  the  books,  and  spare  the  Church  all  calls  for 
charity  except  for  this  object.  But  the  proposiiion  would  not  be 
listened  to.  It  has  taken  the  grip  too  strongly  for  money  making. 
These  Boards  appear  to  have  no  sense  of  justice  to  the  book  trade. 
If  they  publish  the  same  book  as  the  trade,  they  put  it  down  so  low 
as  to  destroy  all  competition.  A  bookseller  has  a  Baptist  hymn 
book;  he  pays  a  heavy  copy-ri^ht  for  it.  'IMiis  is  a  property  the 
Board  could  use  to  advantage,  but  there  is  no  way  to  get  at  it,  except 
to  publish  another  so  altered  as  not  to  violate  copy-rights,  and  then 
put  the  price  down,  and  use  its  agents  and  business  clergy  to  intro- 
duce it,  and  it  soon  has  a  monopoly  of  hymn-selling,  but  precious 
little  moral  music  is  there  in  it.  The  Presbyterian  Board  took  their 
hymn  book  and  Confession  of  Faith  out  of  the  hands  of  booksellers 
much  after  this  fashion.  It  publishes  a  Pilgrim's  Progress  with 
expensis-e  engravings,  stereotype  plates  and  all  a  gift,  and  it  thus  is 
enabled  to  publish  the  book  lower  than  it  would — still  not  so  low 
as  when  the  object  is  to  kill  at  a  blow  a  book  before  in  the  hands 
of  others.  I  cannot  but  think  that  if  tlie  public  will  understand 
the  wrongs  and  evils  of  charity  work  in  the  best  view  to  be  taken 
of  it.  there  will  be  a  turning  about,  and  a  u'oing  tlte  other  way, 
which  as  a  moral  motion  in  the  public  mind,  would  preach  like  a 
voice  from  a  better  world. 


16 

To  this  date  the  Episcopal  and  Roman  Catholic  Churches  have 
done  less  in  merchandize  and  trade  than  any  others,  calling  them- 
selves Churches,  and  tliey  are  the  chief  support  of  booksellers. 
The  Episcopal  Church  has  left  her  Prayer  Book  and  every  thing 
to  the  management  of  business  enterprise,  and  she  gets  it  as  cheap 
as  it  can  be  made,  and  cheaper  tlian  any  charity  enterprise  could 
furnish  it,  if  it  charged  all  expenses  on  the  book,  yet  these  societies 
must  deal  in  the  tempting  morsel  left  to  individual  competition,  and 
support  themselves  by  the  profit  they  can  make  on  it.  To  see  an 
institution,  in  no  sense  Episcopal,  do  this,  when  its  principal  sup- 
porters and  acknowledijed  influence  are  sectarian,  in  the  general 
opinion  of  that  Church,  is  a  sight  one  is  not  apt  to  look  for  or  wont 
to  meet  with.  It  thus  forces  the  whole  Church  into  its  support 
whether  she  will  or  no.  It  takes  off  her  fleece  as  by  the  way-side 
and  lets  her  go. 

I  might  go  on  and  instance  all  the  Societies,  and  find  all  liable  to 
the  same  objections  in  some  degree;  but  it  would  be  litUe  better  than 
a  repetition  of  what  I  have  said.  They  generate  and  emulate  each 
other.  They  are  formed  in  many  instances  to  counteract  the  intluence 
of  each  other.  They  operate  to  strengthen  denominational  and 
sectional  prejudices,  an  evil  which  all  sood  men  must  deplore. 

The  Evangelical  Knowledge  Society  sprunir  up  in  this  soil.  Its 
eye  caught  on  wliat  others  had  done  and  were  doinof,  and  it  must 
do  some  orcat  thinn- ;  it  must  at  first  open  a  store;  it  must 
keep  clear  of  booksellers  as  of  lireakers  ;  its  individual  existence 
must  be  significant,  it  must  model  on  and  imitate  tlie  great  boards 
about  it — it  could  do  wonders.  Well,  what  has  it  done  ?  It  lias  not 
published  a  single  book,  and  it  never  will  publish  a  book,  which  any 
publislier  in  this  land  would  not  have  published  on  his  own  means 
and  fin'iiislied  to  the  Church  on  its  recommendation,  Avithout  one 
cent's  cost,  the  Church  eniia(,nn(r  to  buv  the  books  as  she  docs  of  the 
Socif  ty.  and  tints  rdl  the  cost  attending  the  publication  of  the  books 
bo  saved  to  the  Church.  In  nodiing  but  the  business  of  charity 
would  so  o!)vious  an  advanta^'c  have  been  disregarded.  The  same 
attention  could  ]ia\o  been  trivcn  to  the  character  and  editing  q(  the 
books  that  iir.w  is.  ami  the  charitv  of  the  Church  otily  employed  in 
purchasi::i^-  and  distribuliim-  them  as  it  now  is.  All  these  luioks, 
could  ;ui(!  would,  uiidrr  such  an  arranujement,  be  furnished  20  per 
cent  uudir  the  prices  the'  Society  now  charocs  lor  them,  and  the 
cost  of  rent,  atreiU  and   publisliinir  savetl  into  the    bar<j:ain.       ^\'ould 


17 

any  set  of  men  in  the  use  of  their  own  means  have  disregarded 
considerations  so  obviously  expedient !  Nothing  but  charity,  reckless 
and  blind,  could  do  it;  yea,  charity  bent  on  some  ambitious  and  use- 
less display  of  itself.  The  men  that  have  done  this,  are  men  that  I 
highly  respect,  that  I  love  and  confide  in  as  truly  as  I  ever  can  in 
any,  but  I  have  set  out  to  speak  my  mind  on  what  I  esteem  to  be  as 
important  a  subject  as  any  that  can  occupy  the  attention  of  the 
public. 

The  following  assertions,  I  consider,  carry  in  themselves  the  proof 
of  their  truth. 

1st.  I  say  these  societies  and  all  they  do  are  a  tax  on  the  honest 
industry  of  men  engaged  in  the  book  business.  They  are  wrong  in 
principle  ;  and  I  say,  as  they  are  managed,  they  do  not  make  books 
cheap,  nor  can  they  make  them  so.  Somebody  pays  more  for  them 
than  would  be  paid  if  they  were  produced  in  the  regular  way  of  the 
trade.     I  defy  any  one  to  show  this  is  not  the  fact. 

2d.  I  say  that  in  doing  this  prodigal  and  expensive  work,  they 
drive  a  large  and  incalculable  amount  of  capital  into  injurious 
channels  of  publishing,  and  break  down  and  discourage  every  man 
in  the  business  who  is  restrained  by  his  principles  from  engaging  in 
publishing,  and  selling  works  of  doubtful  utility.*  I  say  they  have 
done  this  work  already  in  the  name  of  religious  charity  ;  and  I 
think  it  does  show  that  charity  has  undertaken  work  to  which  it  was 
not  called,  and  which  cannot  prosper  for  good.  Let  the  contrary  be 
shown,  if  possible. 

3d.  Men,  generally,  who  have  made  fortunes  in  other  branches  of 
business,  are  called  to  the  management  of  these  institutions  ;  and  they 
thus  carve  out  work  for  charily  to  do,  which  destroys  a  branch  of 
trade  by  virtually  burdening  it  with  the  support  of  these  charity  shops. 
I  know  one  publisher  was  waited  on  by  a  liberal  and  wealthy  mer- 
chant, and  told  if  he  did  not  give  him  a  certain  quantity  of  a  book 
he  had  published  at  cost,  that  he  might  sell  it  and  give  the  profits  to 

*  I  say  tlie  pu!)lications  of  these  Societies  are  all  loicer  tlian  private  enterprise 
can  live  hy,  unless  charity  should  go  to  the  expense  of  making  and  supplying  a 
market,  as  she  does  for  them.  This  fact  I  icon  Id  have  borne  in  mind  as  one 
that  is  doing  a  great  wrong  to  publishers.  They  cannot  stand  hy  the  side  of 
such  a  system ;  and  still  the  system  is  a  needless  expense  to  the  public,  by  the 
tvho/e  amount  it  invests  in  publisJiing.  With  the  command  the  Societies  have 
of  the  market,  booksellers  cannot  publish  at  the  same  prices  and  live,  but  having 
the  entire  vtarket  to  themselves,  tlicy  could  do  so.  Ivone  know  better  than  the 
Charity  Societies  that  they  could  not  publish  books,  and  thrive  at  their  prices, 
without  the  aid  of  charity.  What  then  does  charity  in  the  case,  but  dishearten 
all  private  enterprise  for  good  ?     Nothing  else. 

2  4 


18 

2  poor  church,  he  would  publish  the  same  book  to  effect  that  end. 
This  man  did  not  think  of  making  his  own  business  build  up  the 
poor  church,  \m\. forcibly  taxes  his  poor  neighbour's  for  it,  and  so  it 
is  with  tlie  wealthy  managers  of  the  publishing  societies.  Remember 
the  ewe-lamb  in  the  parable.*  They  carve  out  work  against  another 
branch  of  trade  which  ruins  it ;  and  if  the  same  plan  had  been  pur- 
sued with  regard  to  that  branch  of  business  by  which  they  made  their 
fortunes,  they  would  have  had  no  ability  and  no  time  to  spare  from 
the  support  of  their  families  for  such  an  object.  The  same  principle 
applied  to  all  branches  of  industry  and  trade,  would  soon  make  a 
society  of  poor  men,  and  leave  none  with  ability  to  give.  Does  not 
this  view  show  that  there  is  an  equal  want  of  true  heart  and  true 
j)olicy  in  the  management  of  these  establishments,  and  that  they  are 
perverting  the  Christianity  of  our  day — making  it  worldly,  selfish, 
calculating,  bustling  and  business-like  ?  I  must  say  that  I  can  sse  it 
in  no  other  light,  and  I  think  the  bitter  fruit  of  evil  will  more  and 
more  appear.  I  ask  the  Christian  public  to  pause  and  weigh  the 
considerations  I  have  offered.  I  know  there  is  principle  and  there  is 
charity  in  Christian  men,  and  I  know  tbat  truth  must  prevail  with 
ihem  at  last.  Streams  of  charity  must,  to  be  healthful,  be  fed  from 
springs  of  industry.     Charity,  in  disturbing  these,  kills  itself. 

4th.  I  say  that  these  societies,  doing  business  on  the  treasury  of 
the  Lord,  pay  higher  salaries  than  any  private  book  concerns  do  or 
can  pay,  and  tb.at  this  is  the  temptation  for  them,  through  their  agents, 
to  set  to  so  sharply  for  money  making.  It  is  this  spirit,  this  prodi- 
gality in  expense,  which  has  prompted  them  to  open  stores  for  the 
retail  of  general  books  ;  to  build  \\\)  large  and  expensive  warehouses; 
lo  publish  annuals,  picture  and  illustrated  books  ;  to  bind  tlicm  up  in 
the  most  expensive  styles  ;  to  vie  in  all  the  arts  and  expenses  of  the 
trade.  They  thus  use  Christian  charity  in  ornamenting  books  to 
bring  money,  not  in  publishing  cheap  religious  knowledge,  as  they 
were  created  lo  do.      It  is  a  monstrous  abuse  of  their  trust.    It  is  a 

"•  A  irmnauor  in  sovcr.il  of  these  Societies  riMir.irkcd  lo  me,  '■  The  t.'hurch  lias 
a  right  to  (io  whit  ;he  pleases  with  her  cliaritv."  1  have  no  duuht  tliis  has  liccu 
a  eoiriinou  opiniLUi.  and  yet  tiiere  is  no  reason  or  justice  in  it.  It  is  the  opinion 
of  a  sjioilt  chill!--!  imnj,  bt.-causi^  I  inll.  ami  rises  no  higher  in  dicjnity.  'J'he 
ii_,'htor  wrong  of  aelions  must  lie  determined  by  expedieiiey,  hy  tlieir  results  for 
i^'ood  or  evil.  \\  e  may  uiA  do  evil  that  good  may  come,  'i'hls  is  a  princi[iie  of 
■he  I'rotestant  Church  at  least,  and  vet  its  o])posite  nnist  he  acted  on  when  charity 
obtains  a  proposed  good  through  th(>  ruin  or  injury  of  others.  But  if  mere  ex- 
jjedienry  be  the  iuli;  of  trying  these  societies,  I  think  I  have  shown  tliat  they  are 
iast  resulting  in  evils  of  a  eo'iimanding  grade. 


19 

farce  to  call  this  doing  service  to  religion.  It  is  a  war  on  the  private 
enterprise  by  which  charity  lives.  I  say  that  in  these  respects  and 
others,  these  societies  have  violated  their  charters — the  Tract  Society 
in  publishing  books — in  setting  up  to  supply  the  country  with  books, 
and  selling  them  under  cost  to  the  trade — the  American  Sunday  School 
Union  in  opening  a  general  religious  bookstore,  and  going  into  all  the 
arts  of  manufacturing  and  selling  books — die  Presbyterian  Board,  in 
following  suit,  in  publishing  works  of  art  and  ornament,  and  vieing 
with  the  world  for  trade,*  They  have  thus  become  money-making, 
secular  concerns,  and  as  charily  supports  their  expenses  and  bears 
their  losses,  no  private  capital  and  enterprise  can  stand  up  against 
them.  Not  one  of  them  could  have  obtained  a  charter  had  this  been 
their  avowed  aim  and  policy  from  the  start.  They  deserve  to  be  dis- 
countenanced by  all  honest  men  ;  they  must  be,  by  all  who  are  not 
willing  to  aid  them  in  preying  upon  die  enterprise  and  labour  of  the 
country.  A  rich  man  gives  them  a  set  of  stereotype  plates  with  en- 
gravings, another  gives  them  this,  and  another  that,  and  thus  the 
capital  of  one  branch  of  business  is  employed  to  destroy  another. 
These  men  plan  and  give  money  to  execute  the  measures  diat  work 
the  ruin  of  oUiers,  and  think  all  the  while  they  are  doing  God  service. 
They  invite  the  public  to  patronise  Uiese  charity  institutions,  instead 
of  men  who  give  all  their  time,  talents  and  means  to  publish  books, 
quite  as  useful  as  any  these  institutions  can  publish.  These  last  ask 
no  charity,  no  praise  for  their  work,  and  nothing  but  thoughtless  in- 
consideration  can  induce  any  right-minded  person  to  give  to,  or  buy 
of,  these  societies,  in  the  conceit  that  they  are  more  meritorious,  less 
selfish.  They  are  doing  a  good,  an  equal  good  with  their  own  means 
— these  societies  are  only  using  the  charity  of  others  for  the  same 
purpose.  Which  is  most  to  be  praised,  most  to  be  encouraged  by 
sensible  people  ?   Let  good  sense  answer.     That  is  all. 

5lh.  I  say  that  twice  as  many  reliirious  books  are  published  in  tlie 
country  as  ought  to  be,  whether  we  regard  the  interests  of  publishers 

*  There  is  one  thins;  I  would  have  the  reader  marlc ,-  it  is  tliat  I  would  not 
abate  the  action  of  religious  cliarity  in  circulating  good  books,  but  have  her  leave 
the  publishing  of  them  alone  to  secular  enterprise.  Let  funds  be  raised  as  now 
for  this  purpose  ;  let  the  demand  be  kept  up  by  charity  as  it  is  now,  and  all  good 
books  wanted,  would  be  furnished  as  cheaply  as  they  are  now,  ami  th;>  Church 
saved  at  least  one-half  of  her  charity.  I  admit  for  instance  that  the  publications 
of  the  Presbyterian  Board  are  cheaper  than  booksellers  can  live  by,  having  to 
compete  in  a  market  supplied  by  charity  at  these  rates,  but  if  charity  would  go 
out  of  the  market,  and  still  keep  up  an  equal  demand,  then  the  iradc  cnuld  pul>- 
lish  quite  as  cheaply,  and  the  Church  have  no  part  in  the  first  cost  of  books. 


20 

or  the  interests  of  religion.  No  sooner  is  a  good  book  issued  than  it 
is  lost  siirht  of  in  the  clatter  about  another,  and  thus  the  best  books 
are  displaced  and  little  read.  A  smattering  knowlediie  of  each  is  even 
more  than  can  be  looked  for  in  such  a  state  of  things  ;  and  these  So- 
cieties are  responsible  for  this  redundancy.  The  two  S.  S.  Unions 
publish  twice  as  many  books  as  can  be  useful.  The  multiplication 
of  children's  books  is  the  distinguishing  folly  of  the  age.  It  is  an 
injury  to  the  children  in  the  first  place,  and  in  the  second,  it  is  an 
abominable  waste  of  sacred  funds.  But  these  Societies  must  do  and 
report  a  frreat  business  ;  and  to  please  the  children  and  make  sales, 
they  must  embellish  their  works  with  gilt  and  pictures.  Such  a 
variety  in  their  issues  is  a  nuisance,  and  I  believe  is  doing  the  chil- 
dren of  the  country  more  harm  than  good.  I  was  once  a  child,  and 
I  got  up  to  manhood  w^ilhout  these  helps,  and  I  do  not  know  tliat  it 
took  me  longer  than  it  does  children  now-a-days ;  but  this  I  know 
that  the  reading  of  such  books  is  a-ffoingf  to  make  nobody  wise.  One 
seed  of  knowledsfe  planted  in  the  heart,  one  principle  of  truth  mas- 
tered in  the  mind,  is  worth  more  as  a  basis  of  moral  and  intellectual 
growth,  than  all  these  societies  can  do  by  all  their  tictions,  and  stories, 
and  illustrations,  a  thousand  fold  more  multiplied.  A  few  first  books 
and  catechisms,  and  the  societies  could,  with  profit  to  the  risiiiij  gene- 
ration, be  excused  from  dointr  anv  more  ;  but  thev  keep  the  mill  grind- 
intj,  and  why  ?  because  they  must  make  money  to  sustain  their  ex- 
penses. All  thev  make,  it  is  said,  sroes  to  meet  expenses  ;  and  hence 
if  they  sell  ten  instead  of  fifty  thousand  dollars  worth  of  books  in  a 
year  at  one-tliird  profit,  it  will  make  ([uite  a  dilTerence  with  those  who 
take  the  profits,  and  hence  this  fioodinir  the  church  and  countrv  with 
juvenile  books  and  those  in  a  cosdv  and  saleable  style.  I  know  no 
other  rational  view  of  the  case,  if  it  is  true  that  these  societies  do  not 
lay  up  ninriov  and  turn  it  into  capital,  and  it  seems  to  be  admitted  that 
they  do  not.  'J'lie  Metliodist  book  concern^  has  a  siidvinir  l"iind  for 
the  Ix'uefit  of  the  ministry,  and  it  is  fast  makin;:  it  a  Ijusiness  church, 
and  i;s   luiuisters    book   pciUars.      'I'lie   Presbyterian   Jjoard''"  has,    or 

•  This  roiicrni  is  juiMi-'iiiiL:  a  new  hymn  ho.ik  which  it  is  fstiinati-d  will  he  a 
loss  to  tliut  (■o'liinunity  .;!' ^-JuO.OflO.  S'o  rrasun  tiir  this  ran  l>o  seen  except  that 
[iriviUe  ent<'riiri>e  hy  puMishiii-  in  other  sections  of  that  liody.  is  takinir  this  husi- 
iic'ss,  liKTiSuralily,  <'\a  ol'  the  control  ol'  the  concern,  and  lu'nce  this  Imsiness  church 
ami  its  jirilJiinLT  niin!<ir\,  inust  strike  a  I'low  whicli  costs  a  half  a  million,  in 
onler  t.i  t,:kc  all  into  llicir  liali  is. 

;-  J'his  13>iari|  lias  hit  npcn  a  jiretty  device  to  catch  custom,  in  puhlishiiiLT  a 
ratalo.Mic  d'  its  hooks,  in  whidi  it  pri'i  o^rs  to  -ive  liltern  dollars  worth  of  hooks 
or  nearly  at  this   rate,  tor  every  ten  dollar.s  worth  jiurchased  at  a  time.    ?sone  but 


21 

is  about,  I  am  told,  to  adopt  the  same  plan.  Can  it  be  possible  that 
the  wise  fathers  of  that  church  are  willing-  to  hold  out  such  a  bait  to 
its  rising  ministry?  Instead  of  teaching  them  to  rely  for  support  on 
Christian  liberality  and  the  favour  of  Providence,  it  tempts  them  to 
become  supporters  of  an  Institution  in  which  they  have  a  selfish  in- 
terest by  becoming  shareholders  in  its  profits.  It  is  a  shocking  per- 
version of  the  ofllce  and  end  of  the  Christian  ministry,  and  the  evil 
effects  of  it  must  sooner  or  later  appear.  I  am  willing  that  my  cha- 
racter for  wisdom  should  sink  with  the  failure  of  this  prediction.  The 
wisdom  of  God's  designs  will  appear  at  last,  however  they  may  be 
obscured  and  flooded  over  with  contrivances  of  our  own.  There  is 
more  sagacity  in  faith  than  in  our  invention,  for  well-doing.  And  if 
we  acted  on  this  truth  as  a  Church,  and  let  publishing  and  business 
alone,  our  wisdom  would  appear.  The  ministry  would  be  relieved 
from  many  temptations.  Their  time  and  sensibility  could  be  more 
exclusively  given  to  their  work,  and  grateful  and  improved  hearers 
would  quickly  attest  the  change. 

I  am  now  prepared  to  offer  die  opinion  that,  if  the  Presbyterian 
and  the  Baptist  Boards,  the  Methodist  Book  Concern,  the  Episcopal 
Sunday  School  Union,  the  Evangelical  Knowledge  Society,  the  Ame- 
rican Tract  Society,*  the  American  Sunday  School  Union,  the  Ameri- 

managers  of  charity  could  have  thouglit  of  such  a  device,  or  had  the  effrontery 
to  put  it  in  execution.  Suppose  a  neighbor  had  purchased  a  thousand  dollars 
worth  of  these  books  with  a  view  to  sell  again,  and  found,  that  by  the  action  of 
this  measure,  he  could  only  sell  them  at  cost,  and  his  time  and  expense  be  lost 
into  the  bargain.  Could  he  think  it  an  honest  institution  1  Could  any  book- 
seller be  thought  decent  in  following  this  example  1  It  would  not  be  honest ;  it 
would  be  a  breach  of  the  faith  on  which  all  business  transactions  rest.  It  would 
wrong  and  undo  men  who  depend  on  retailing  their  purchases.  And  yet  this 
is  the  way  these  societies  and  their  managers  treat  booksellers.  They  take  their 
business  out  of  their  hands,  cheapen  their  investments,  and  are  utterly  soulless 
and  heartless  about  it.  They  do  this  in  the  name,  and  for  the  cause  of  religion, 
when  there  is  not  one  of  them  who  can  say,  it  is  doing  to  others  us  they  n'ould 
have  others  do  to  them.  Where  have  they  learned  that  they  may  do  collectively 
what  they  should  not  do  singly  1  When  have  these  men  reflected  on  what  they 
are  doing,  or  reflecting  on  it,  found  it  was  consistent  with  the  easiest  principles  of 
our  Saviour's  teaching  ]  If  I  had  not  to  deal  with  religious  men,  I  should  not 
expect  to  reform  them  or  check  them  in  any  profitable  or  favorite  career,  but  a 
wrong,  an  inconsidcration  like  this,  shall  not  go  unexposed  for  want  of  my  assert- 
ing it. 

*  This  Society  is  fast  superseding  and  supplyhig  the  office  of  the  S.  S.  Union, 
and  it  has  come  to  that  now,  if  there  is  any  use  in  either,  there  is  none  in  both. 
They  are  catering  for  employ  in  the  same  field,  and  I  reckon  the  harvest  will  be 
small  to  one  or  the  other  after  a  little.  If  there  was  anv  propriety  in  the  origin 
ot  these  Societies,  there  is  none  at  all  in  their  doing  business  on  so  larsc  a  scale. 
Their  greatness,  their  much  doing,  will  be  their  ruin.  Such  great  bodies  will 
Ijreak  in  upon  each  other  and  leave  each  scrambling  to  save  the  pieces. 


22 

can  Bible  Society,  were  all  blotted  out  of  existence,  and  t'.ieir  stereotype 
})lates  sunk  to  the  bottom  of  the  sea,  the  cause  of  religion  and  the 
best  welfare  of  society  would  not  seriously  suffer  by  it.  'J'he  church's 
millions  of  charity  would  be  saved,  and  she  restored  to  her  scriptural 
vocation.  Books  of  all  descriptions  would  be  as  cheap  and  as  plenty 
as  they  are  now.  Industry  would  be  thriving  in  this  branch  of  trade, 
and  its  capital  Vvould  be  vieing  to  suit  the  public  taste  in  the  style 
and  cheapness  of  religious  books.  Sectarianism,  stifleiled  in  its  back 
by  the  moral  efiect  of  these  associations,  so  that  it  will  sooner  break 
than  bend,  would  begin  to  melt  away,  and  religion  everywhere  be  more 
liberal.  It  would  not  appear  before  the  world  as  if  it  had  been  run 
in  some  physical  mould  and  was  not  accountable  for  its  shape,  but 
there  woidd  be  a  sky-openness  about  it,  a  largeness  of  view,  in  which 
it  would  approximate,  as  it  does  not  now,  to  the  stature  of  a  perfect 
manhood  in  Christ  Jesus. 

I  now  ask  the  religious  public  to  w^itlihold  all  their  charities  from 
these  publishing  institutions  ;*  to  force  them  to  live  by  the  economical 
management  of  tticir  business,  as  other  men  do,  or  fail.  This  is  the 
only  course  that  can  be  just  to  men  engaged  in  the  same  line  of  busi- 
ness. You  have  given  them  funds  to  begin  with  ;  that  was  more 
than  your  duty:  let  them  now  live  by  their  own  strength,  and  you 
will  soon  see  if  they  make  books  cheaper,  and  learn  what  you  pay 
for  their  service.  You  will  learn  tliat  the  only  voice  that  calls  on  you 
for  charity  is  tuned  by  the  profits  made  in  your  employ. 

*  Ithaslx'cn  snid  those  Societies  liavc  rapital  enough  tt)  go  on  without  farther 
charily  t'roiii  the  pulihe,  and  vvould  do  so,  if  forced  to  that  counse.  They,  no 
doubt,  will  die  hard,  hut  they  could  not  live,  if  the  jiublic  took  no  more  interest 
in  thcHi  than  it  do(^s  in  jirivatc  concerns.  Their  worldly  greatn(\-s  would  soon 
pass  away,  and  tlial  is  a  chief  charm  of  tlieir  existence.  Witliout  charity  receipts 
their  dea(J  stdrk  \\()uld  remain  on  liand,  and  jirices  must  j^'o  up.  or  their  capital 
woidd  he  ipiii-klv  consumed  in  exjx'nses.  They  would  cross  each  others  track 
and  attempt  to  t\o  each  olliers  work,  till  they  woulil  present  a  moral  sjiectaclo  of 
ruin  and  eouipetition,  such  as  we  !iave  not  dreamed  of  in  our  i)hilosopliy.  It  is 
also  too  rliar  that  such  an  unaided  existence  would  not  advance  the  public 
iiood,  and  wuidd  intei-f(;re  with  the  rights  of  j>rivate  enterprise.  They  would  be 
still  charity  institutions,  doing  business  on  the  funds  of  the  public,  and  charging 
tlie  ])ulilie  just  as  high  prices  as  if  they  liad  not  received  a  <-ent  from  it.  There 
is  nojusti'-c.  no  ecom^my  iu  this.  8ee  page  17  for  some  things  which  siKAild  l« 
refuted  or  these  charill'.'s  he  i:;ivcn  up  m  r.r,ih. 


POSTSCKIPT. 


A  SKETCH  OF  WHAT  SHOULD  BE  DONE. 

Not  a  cent  more  should  ever  be  given  to  Charity  Publication  So- 
cieties. They  should  all  wind  up,  and  dispose  of  their  property  to 
the  best  advantage  ;  and  the  whole  amount  of  their  capital  should  be 
converted  into  a  fund  for  the  purchase  and  circulation  of  religions 
books,  the  publishing  of  them  being  left  to  individual  enterprise. 
Books  would  then  be  as  cheap,  if  not  cheaper,  than  the  Societies 
make  them.  Societies  might  be  formed  for  the  execution  of  these 
objects.  But  Charity  should  invest  nothing  in  producing  books.  Siie 
should  not  touch  the  springs  and  rewards  of  productive  labour.  Labour 
is  a  fruit  of  a  spoiled  Eden,  forbidden  still  to  the  touch  or  taste 
of  Charity. 

All  needless  expense  in  ornamenting  and  illustrating  books  should 
be  abated.  All  light  and  fictitious  works  should  be  expelled  from  the 
.service  of  religion.  They  create  a  false  taste,  and  a  distaste  for  more 
improving  books.  'J'lieir  evil  cfToct  extends  into  the  manhood  and 
womanhood  of  the  rising  generation,  and  makes  it  less  reliable,  less 
stable,  less  self-productive.  Because  such  fictions  please  children,  is 
no  reason  v.diy  they  should  have  tlicm.  Children  should  be  early 
taught  to  read  and  profit  by  rnai^s  books.  Any  well  written  book 
is  simple  enough  for  youth.  That  much  neglected,  yet  deeply  thought, 
ful  work,  Watts  on  the  Improvement  of  the  Mind,  can  be  appreciated 
by  any  intelligent  youtli ;  and  once  mastered,  is  worth  more  in  form- 
ing a  character  for  well  doing  and  vv'cU  thinking,  than  all  the  juvenile 
books  that  have  been  published  in  the  last  ten  years. 

This  plan,  or  something  like  it,  adopted,  and  millions  of  Cliarity  would 
be  saved  to  the  Church,  which  she  could  expend  for  more  appropriate 


24 

and  needful  objects  ;  say  in  the  support  of  Missions  in  poor  and 
destitute  places.  Planting  a  living  preacher  in  such  places,  building 
him  a  church,  and  leaving  with  him  some  of  the  best  books,  charity 
miijht  go  on  and  have  no  need  to  return  asfain,  resting  assured  that 
things  would  be  well  done  without  her  further  help.  This  would 
be  doing  our  work  according  to  the  Gospel,  each  and  all  aclinof  in  a 
proper  sphere. 

X.  B.  Will  Christian  men  recede  or  persevere  when  tlie  principle  anJ  action  of 
these  Societies  arc  shown  to  be  evil  ?  This  is  the  question.  Will  men  use  their 
means  and  influence  to  support  what  they  know  is  working  a  wrong  to  others, 
and  is  no  just  economy  of  public  funds  1  That  is  another  question.  Will  the 
managers  of  these  charities  liold  on  in  their  oflice  when  they  know  they  would 
opjcct  to  the  same  course,  if  it  had  been  apjilied  to  their  own  business  ]  This  i> 
another  question. 


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